Not sure what the Short Story Challenge is? You can read all of the details here! There’s also now a brand new Facebook group that you can join for updates, discussion and other fun stuff. The link to that is further down in this post. Let’s get going with this month’s challenge!

Last Month’s Challenge

Last month’s Short Story Challenge was to write a story with the following prompt:

Write a story with a HUGE cliffhanger ending!

Thank you to those of you who took part in this month’s challenge. I really want to think of ways to get more people involved, but until then, it’s like an exclusive little club! Click on the button below to read last month’s stories.

If you’re not sure what the Short Story Challenge is, you can read all of the details here. I’m so happy with how this challenge is going so far. I almost expected nobody to join in, but it’s so amazing to see people having fun with it! Let’s find out about this month’s challenge!

Last Month’s Challenge

Last month’s Short Story Challenge was to write a story with the following prompt:

Your character is in high school. One of their classmates is always on their own and never seems to talk to anyone. Write from the perspective of your character and also from the perspective of the shy classmate.

There weren’t as many submissions than last month, but I loved them all (well, one of them was mine, and I must say – I’m pretty happy with mine too!) Again, like last time, it was so amazing to see how people interpreted the prompt – all three stories are totally different! Thank you to those who took part. Click on the button below to read last month’s stories – comment on this post and tell us which one is your favourite!

Favourite TV Moments

There are SO MANY so I’m going to have to be incredibly vague, otherwise I’ll be here for 3 years.

A million moments from Torchwood (but ONLY series 1 and 2)

A million moments from How I Met Your Mother (and I’m only half-way through season 2…)

A few moments from Doctor Who (but mainly Tenth Doctor, my fave)

Things That Make Me Cry

Okay, most people who know me know that I hardly ever cry. Like, I can’t even think of the last time I cried. I never ever cry at films or TV.

However, certain moments of Torchwood (if you’ve seen it, you’ll know which moments I mean) made me SOB.

The Book Thief (book, not film) made me cry so much that my pillow was wet.

The two films that spring to mind when I think of ones that did actually make me cry are Remember Me and About Time. Both traumatic films.

I hardly cry at real-life events (like I said, I can’t actually can’t remember the last time I cried at something?!) but if I think of any I’ll come back and edit them in!

Things I Will Tell Myself When Perfectionism Strikes

It doesn’t matter. If you’re showing this to someone they’ll probably like it and they won’t see the teeny tiny elements that are driving you insane, so STOP IT.

It doesn’t have to be perfect. Stop driving yourself mad over the tiny things and move on.

You could be doing much better things with you time than perfecting things that are already good to go. This is something I need to tell myself when I’m working. If I have a list of tasks I need to do, I should just move on to the next one rather than wasting time doing the same thing for 45 mintes!

Autumn Bucket List

Buy a new jumper. I really don’t need one, but you can never have too many autumnal jumpers.

Go on a day trip in big coats and boots and come back and get really warm

Have a bath!! This might not seem big, but we don’t have a bath in our house – only a shower – and we’re hopefully getting one fitted soon. I want a personal pamper day!

Start planning people’s Christmas presents…

Read a load of books (under a blanket when the weather starts getting colder)

Random Acts of Kindness I Will Commit This Week

Seeing as it’s Sunday, I should probably say what I have already done.

Currently Listening, Watching & Reading

I’m currently obsessed with Troye Sivan’s albums. I keep listening to them and barely anything else!

Right now (literally, as I type this) I’ve just started watching How I Met Your Mother. I’ve wanted to watch it for ages and now that it’s on Netflix, I can finally start watching it. I’ve just started episode 2 (I did say I’ve just started).

Things I’m Afraid Of

Small spaces. The idea of being enclosed in any kind of small space really freaks me out; I can’t bring myself to even do things like laser tag or those ‘escape the room’ things. CAN’T DO IT.

Death. This is getting a bit dark and depressing, so… let’s stop.

My Happy Place

The weather is chilly and grey (I know, not what most people would prefer)…

I’m sitting indoors in a massive hoodie and slipper socks…

I’m reading a book and I have nothing else too important to do…

…and it’s Christmas. PERFECT.

Why Fall is Awesome

See above

I love the changing weather and the trees turn orange and it looks autumnal and magical

It’s closer to Christmas

I can start wearing my jumpers and slipper socks again!! My favourite clothes! (I barely even own any summer clothes)

IT’S CLOSER TO CHRISTMAS

Things That Make Me Feel Good About Myself

When I’m told I’ve done something good in my job. It makes me feel so great – I’ve wanted to do the job that I do for ages, so when I’m told I’m doing it well it’s amazing!

If I’m wearing an outfit that I feel I look great in, I will feel more confident than I would if I looked scruffy. Even if others look at me like “what the hell are you wearing?” I’ll still feel great because I think I look great. And that’s all that matters.

On My Book List

Hahaha. Ha ha. I don’t even think I’m going to answer that. I can’t do it. There are about 300.

My Current Evening Routine

On a weekday: Once all my work is finished for the day, it’s often approaching the evening. I finish off whatever blog stuff I wanted to finish that day, put my laptop down and try not to look at it for the rest of the evening. I’ll read a book, watch something on Netflix, or whatever I feel like doing to unwind. I’ll then usually attempt to go to bed at 11ish, although it’s often a bit later.

On a weekend: I’ll do whatever! Tonight, for instance, I walked the dog, came back and did some blog bits (including writing this) and I’ll probably just read for the rest of the night.

It’s the second week of Listers Gotta List and this time, it’s a full week rather than just a few days! The theme for this month is Self-Care.

My Self-Care Routine

I don’t particularly have a routine when it comes to self-care. I just tend to do whatever I like to do whenever I need to relax! These things might include:

Have a lie-in (but not so late that I feel groggy)

Don’t use my laptop too much so I can rest my eyes. My job is done using a computer so sometimes it’s nice to have a break away from it!

Spend a whole day reading a book – I sometimes start a book in the morning and finish it that day

Stay in my room and watch a film, Netflix or something rubbish on TV

Best School Memories

Oh man, I have so many! I really liked school (most of the time) so I can’t really pick out specific memories. I’ll try my best but some of these might just be a bit general and cliche!

Performing in school shows and then being a production assistant for the show when I was in sixth form

Staying in my form room at lunch pretty much every day – it was a lot of fun for a big group of us all to stay in there and have a laugh over lunch!

There are probably many more seeing as I was in school from the age of 4 till 18, but my mind’s gone blank!

Favourite Smells

Fresh bread is one of the best smells EVER, especially when it’s baking

The smell of salt and vinegar when you walk past a chip shop, or food smells from a cafe

Cocoa powder or milkshake powder. I don’t know what it is about it, it’s just amazing

(I’ve noticed these are all food themed… oops)

What is on my Nightstand?

A blue lamp that gets brighter the longer it’s on – I like it because it creates a nice atmosphere in my room!

Two cute little candle holder things that I have LED candles in

A box with my retainer in (that I hardly ever wear oops)

A box of vitamins (because I don’t eat enough fruit and veg oops)

Usually, a glass or two because I always forget to take them downstairs

Currently, my Golden Snitch necklace that I’ve forgotten to put away

Crafty Blogging Projects This Month

LGL is originally a crafty challenge but I haven’t done any craft for ages. I’ve just been so busy! Instead, I’m changing this one to blogging projects – ones I have started this month and a few peaks at what I’m planning!

Probably the biggest project I’ve started this month is working with author Dan Ingram-Brown to help get his blog up and running. It’s my goal to set up an author assistant business, and I’m currently working voluntarily to get my name out. We’ve been working together through Skype calls to come up with ideas for his blog, and I’m looking forward to getting started properly!

I’m already planning what I’m doing for Christmas on my blog. I want it to be very Christmas-themed (I LOVE CHRISTMAS) so I’m coming up with a few ideas at the moment. I can’t wait!

It’s my 1-year blog birthday in October so I’m also trying to think of what I can do to celebrate that.

Journalling Blogging Essentials

This one is like the one above. I used to be so into journaling and I haven’t done it for ages. One thing I know more about at the moment is blogging! I might actually write a whole blog post about this so I won’t go into too much depth here…

A blog. It doesn’t need to be anything special. It doesn’t need to be expensive or self-hosted. If you have a blog, you’re a blogger.

You don’t need a great camera. If you have a rubbish camera or a phone with a camera on it, you can take photos. But then again, a blog doesn’t even require photos – there are millions of royalty free stock images out there that you can still use and make look great!

You don’t need Photoshop skills. There are so many free and easy ways to make blog headers and graphics. I don’t have any Photoshop skills, really – I can do basic things, but I mainly use free things like Paint.NET and Canva.

Ideas and content. That’s all you need! If you have ideas and you can write them down, that’s a blog!

Ways I Deal With… Stress

I’m human. I get stressed. Sometimes I can get stressed a lot, especially when I have a lot to do. This is how I deal with it…

Put the laptop away, put the work down for the day (or at least a couple of hours), and do something to take my mind off whatever it stressing me out.

Read a book – this calms me down a lot!

Watch a film or a TV show for a while

Sometimes it’s best just to stay in my room and not talk to many people until my mind’s calmed down a little bit. I’m probably not the nicest person to talk to when I’m stressed and overwhelmed…